Quartile rating: 8/10 · 1 rating
A young transgender man explores his gender identity and searches for love in rural Nebraska.
Boys Don't Cry is elevated primarily by Hilary Swank's transformative, Oscar-winning performance as Brandon Teena, one of the most committed and emotionally raw portrayals of the decade. Chloé Sevigny and Peter Sarsgaard are equally strong in support. Novelty is high — Kimberly Peirce's debut brought a then-rarely-told trans story to mainstream cinema with unflinching authenticity and a distinctly empathetic yet unsentimental voice, making it genuinely singular for its time. The plot, grounded in tragic real events, is emotionally powerful but structurally straightforward, following a fairly linear rise-and-fall arc. The ending, while harrowing and true to the facts, lands as devastating but not cinematically inventive. Cinematography is competent and gritty, suited to the rural Nebraska setting, but not distinctively stylized.